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Center of scholarly knowledge and shipwrighting, Zeltiva is a port city unlike any other in Mizahar. [Lore]
Anselm said nothing for a moment as he pondered which of several available starting points to start with. He still had no idea what kind of con the young man was trying to put over on him. But it didn't matter because he had lost interest in it. Something much more interesting had captured his interest. He leaned forward a bit and spoke in a slow croaking voice.
“Zeltiva is an interesting city, don't you think?”He began.“Especially its University. They have a broad curriculum, including subjects not often taught in Mizahar. Magic, for example. Where else would you find magic taught and practiced so openly? Except possibly Sahova, of course.”
He re-arranged himself in his chair and sat back, observing Ogiel Abranox's reactions.
“I was at the University earlier today and I happened to run into one Cadena Anaya Fianza. Literally. We collided and both fell to the ground. I have recently acquired some small skill in Auristics. Imagine my surprise when she helped me up – I am an old man after all – and became aware that she too has two auras. Hers are much more tightly integrated than yours. I doubt I would have detected the second one had I not that very day had the very same experience with you. My guess would be that you have not had as much time as she has to fully integrate your two auras.”
He paused again and looked across the room as he decided how to proceed. Research and reason had led him to a hypothesis. Now it was time to test it.
“The Library here in Zeltiva is one of the wonders of Mizahar. Such a large and varied collection. They have a number of books touching on the subject of Summoning, including the somewhat rare practice of Familiary. I had heard of familiars before, of course. But I have never met one. At least not to my knowledge. I wonder if I might meet yours?”
When the ancient creature began speaking, Leigo still paid little heed to the weight of its well masked words. All he could think about was just how many bodies had been stolen from the ground to prolong such a foreign existence. For some reason, boy even approved of the act. The dead were useless onto themselves anyway. So why not put a little spin on them? His thoughts would have been going in a completely different direction if one of those creatures had the audacity to actually take on his mother or father as a vessel.
He knows you, he knows of us. I’ve been telling you what a bad idea this is. Gather yourself and leave while we can still slip by unscathed! Onuo wasn’t planning on being calm, but Leigo had other plans. At least he could see just how much Anselm knew, if anything. Calm yourself! This will be the true test of our con today. Observe, after all it’s what you do best. Leigo smiled to himself, content and still well confident. An ancient corpse stealer wouldn’t play one on him when he still held all the cards.
As the Nuit continued, boys gaze widened. So it was Anaya’s misfortunate slip that landed him in this less favorable position. He would need to have a talk with her about being more political, or in this case – quiet.
So, simple aura observing gave him up. That was most unfortunate indeed. Almost matching his concern, Onuo’s interested voice perked up. You too should learn this skill. Perhaps it could help us conceal ourselves better? Leigo thought on it for a while, but ultimately nodded for himself, yet it was assured that the alien would record it properly.
“It’s funny that you mention Anaya, summoning and familiars so close together. However, the source of my amusement doesn’t come from your interesting observations and pieces pulled together. The only thing that interests me right now would be your reaction when proven wrong. What would your theory crumble to if I told you how the stone in my hand is no more alien than I am? What would you say if I told you I split my soul to preserve my immortal ideals?” Leigo shrugged to himself, not waiting for an answer.
“Truthfully, this or that, it hardly matters. Pick your paths and tread your roads so we can proceed. My nerves wear thin and while your immortality might be assured, mine is yet to be built fully…” he never intended to finish that sentence, so it was no big deal when Onuo joined the cacophony in his head. Sometimes I wonder if you ever lie to me so casually, Leigo? Perhaps you don’t take your existence seriously enough, but you will take ours to that mortal heart of yours. And size down that ego, before it gets us killed! Also, for the love of your gods, don’t tell him about me even when he guesses correctly as I assume he will. One bet won means nothing, but two lives saved will be ours everything. The familiar made perfect sense, but human musings were much more appreciated with the boy currently. Waving his hand in front of his face, boy added. Don’t forget Onuo, that while you might have been immortal once, that is no longer true. And while you might have been devoid of emotion on your world, such life can’t be led here. Keep that in mind when I win the bet.
To Anselm, this all would look like a long moment of silence, but somehow Leigo figured it would take the Nuit a while to process all the lies that had just been spilled at his feet.
Anselm carefully parsed everything the young man said and concluded it was nonsense; a hastily constructed hodge-podge of distractions; and even those lost all semblance of logical cohesion at the end. Again he found himself wondering if there was something wrong with Ogiel Abranox's mind. Nonetheless, he had garnered two more pieces of information: first, the man had all but admitted that he knew Cadena Anaya Fianza, and second, the man was indeed obsessed with the stone. Hypothesis confirmed. Mystery solved. But it left Anselm feeling disappointed. He chose to proceed as though Ogiel had said nothing, which was pretty much the case.
“I was very much looking forward to meeting your familiar. I have so many questions. But it appears that you are unwilling to allow such a meeting, although I do not know why.”He paused as though he suddenly had a new thought.“Perhaps you would humor a harmless old man and allow me to touch the stone?”
So Onuo had guessed correctly, Leigo really was bad at lying in haste. Still acknowledging the fact would mean giving into the familiar’s towering authority and he just couldn’t have that. Then again, there was one thing he could get from the current situation. Onuo’s question remained a mystery to him up until that moment and while he wasn’t sure if he could answer it well enough, the words themselves could help him understand the alien better which was priceless this early in their bond.
I guess I win. Come now, threaten him and let’s go. The creature voiced its thoughts through Leigo’s head disapproving of any further dealings with the Nuit. The boy however didn’t listen. Anselm seemed harmless to him, and he would continue to perceive him as such. Instead of going with the familiar’s advice, he had his own way of continuing the conversation. “Alright, how about we cut the shyke and get down to business, shall we? I have a few questions first and depending on your answers I might allow you two to have a conversation with me acting as a middle man. I want to know just how did you figure out Anaya and I knew each other. Also, it interests us how old are you? And don’t forget to narrate to us some more on that auristics of yours. Answer me and you can talk. No touching, just talking. Do anything funny and I’ll accuse you of grave robbing. I bet half the men in here would give their finger just to have a swing at you then. Do we have ourselves a deal?” Leigo fazed out of the conversation just as easily as he had jumped on.
Without a moment’s notice, Onuo reappeared in his mind. That too was foolish, but this time I’m willing to admit I share your interests. We shall speak with the corpse if it needs be. That was all the moment needed; a pat on the back from his familiar. Knowing they were on the right track, he smiled at the old Nuit. It wasn’t even a matter of competition with Onuo anymore. It became simply a fling of pride. No one played games with him so casually!
What was your question? Boy’s voice emanated from the long hidden desire, hopeful of reaching some spoils even if the battle had been lost. However, Onuo seemed less than entertained by the question, simply shrugging Leigo off. Not yet. It made the boy nervous, but also curious. Just what could have been so important for Onuo to have delayed it for such a long time?
At least we have moved beyond pretense,thought Anselm.No more of this nonsense about a treasure buried somewhere. And he has admitted that he has a familiar. That leaves two questions: What kind of childish game is he playing now? And do I care?
Anselm was not especially concerned about Ogiel's threat. In any other city he would be. Sunberth, for example, is a dangerous place for a Nuit. But not Zeltiva. Zeltiva is a cosmopolitan city with a large University that openly teaches, among other things, magic. A Nuit would be smart to maintain a low profile even here, but it is a relatively safe city and attacking a Nuit would be as illegal as attacking anyone else.
“Ogiel Abranox,”he said.“As much as I would have enjoyed meeting your familiar, I do not care to continue the verbal sparring match in which you seem to be determined to engage me.”He rose from his chair and picked up his cane.“It has been an interesting day and I appreciate the opportunity you gave me to learn something new. But now I must be on my way. I bid you and your familiar a good day.”
Anselm made his way to the door of the World's End Grotto and stopped. He turned around and walked back to the table and sat down again.
“Do you remember the fortune I read for you? I believe it speaks truly to the struggle that goes on between you and your newly acquired familiar. Perhaps you should not brush it off so lightly.”
With that he made his way to the door of the World's End Grotto again and, without looking back, headed toward his house.
Fury growing by the chime, Leigo wanted to punch the smelly old corpse till it was an unrecognizable puddle of flesh. Alright, so he could outsmart Leigo at every turn, but just who did he think he was, walking away from the boy like that. And an Abranox no less! This just couldn’t do, he needed to do something about this. But what he could he do without getting himself in trouble?
Thinking for a bit, he wanted to yell after the old man. He wanted to color him a Nuit so the rest of the Grotto could get up and punish the corpse stealer for him, but his own bluff got more and more caught up in thought. Truly, if any place besides the fabled Sahova accepted Nuits then it was Zeltiva. They weren’t quite welcome according to what he could pick out from bedtime stories. You could hate them openly, but any form of open violence against them seemed like an open invitation for city to have his ass on a plate.
And what nerve was that? Repeating how his fortune gibberish could actually prove important to Leigo? Onuo even? That just couldn’t do. He couldn’t have a thing tear down his ego like that, he was better than this and he had just the thing for Anselm. Pain – lots of it. That should teach the old man not to trample on a mortal’s pride. Leigo’s pride particularly.
Getting up, he wondered just how he could hurt Anselm the most. Did Nuits even feel pain? As a mumbling thought in his head, Onuo rose in protest. Don’t follow him! I told you we couldn’t move someone so far above our current predicament. We’re neither capable of working together just yet nor do I feel like I could trust you with anything important. Now… let him go!
Leigo was still furious, but even more so curious as to how could this little snowball, devoid of emotion, read him so easily as if it had felt everything before. Just how old are you? Leigo asked again, interested thriving once again. Anselm was but a distant thought at the moment. Revenge could wait, after all people always were repeating something about how it shouldn’t be heated.
That was not our arrangement. You’re the one that owes me an answer, remember that. Shifting the conversation back into stagnation, Onuo irritated the boy to no end. Fine, just ask me then! However what came next surprised even the calm familiar.
I didn’t say I want to ask you anything just yet…
The cacophony inside the Grotto grew ever wilder with randomly thrown insults flying around from one blond boy who was leaving the place in haste. Never again would he meddle with immortal crap, whether it was a god, a Nuit or just Onuo; staying away was the best deal he could get.
Lore: Leigo: True Name The Abranox Family Cadena Anaya Fianza: Summoning Teacher
Leigo's Loot :
Leigo
Skill
XP Reward
Familiary
+3
Investigation
+1
Observation
+1
Persuasion
+1
Subterfurge
+2
Lore: Anselm: A Nuit An Attempt To Swindle Troubles With Onuo
The conflict between the characters added a nice touch to the thread. It seems that there was a lot of character development in this thread (especially for Leigo), which is good. If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to PM me!
by Anselm on April 11th, 2012, 7:19 pm 
